After a seemingly innocent sexual encounter, a girl finds herself beset by strange visions and the inescapable feeling that someone, something, is following her. by an unknown supernatural force after a sexual encounter.
For 19-year-old Jay, fall should mean school, boys and weekends by the lake. After a seemingly innocent sexual encounter, she finds herself beset by bizarre visions and the inescapable feeling that someone, something, is following her. With her burden, Jay and her friends must find a way to escape "It", which seem to be only a few steps behind them.
The uniqueness of It Follows lies in the treatment of its idea. Although it is about a form of sexually transmitted curse that haunts and pursues young teenagers, there is no question of making the theme of sex explicit. The film’s direction hints more than it shows and prefers to play on the editing and the anguish caused by the off-screen. Something follows these characters out of the frame, without really knowing what the nature of the threat is.
David Robert Mitchell's camera, moving and feline, always observant, sometimes insidious, draws the contours of a false road movie in a loop and without hope. The protagonists always end up back at their starting point, using Detroit's powerful cinematography to feed the waking nightmare an America in ruin. The fear thus gains in intensity as the camera sweeps the scenery to reveal, or suggest, the presence of frightening silhouettes heading straight for this group of adolescents. The games of the frame constantly pushes the spectator to watch slightest parcel of supernatural force.
The neighborhood reminds us of Carpenter's Halloween for the suburban setting and the slasher spirit, and The Thing for the description of the protean creature that can take on multiple faces. The threat can come from anywhere, can enter the field at any time, in any form and the director takes a malicious pleasure to leave some confusion on the presence or not of it.
A very successful auditory experience with a retro-80's synthesizer score from the American composer Disasterpeace who will haunt you for a couple days.
“It could look like someone you know or it could be a stranger in a crowd. Whatever helps it get close to you.” Jack Weary—Hugh
During his childhood, David Robert Mitchell had recurring dreams about being followed, which inspired the plot of the film: "I didn't use those images for the film, but the basic idea and the feeling I used. From what I understand, it's an anxiety dream. Whatever I was going through at that time, my parents divorced when I was around that age, so I imagine it was something to do with that."
This is a true masterpiece on all levels, a vibrant tribute to the 80s, contributing a very important stone to the building of genre cinema.
It Follows
Written and Directed by David Robert Mitchell
Released on March 13, 2014
Runtime : 100 minutes
Casting : Maika Monroe, Keir Gilchrist, Olivia Luccardi, Jake Weary, Daniel Zovatto, Linda Boston, Ruby Harris, Lili Sepe.
